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Genesis Exteriors

Madison, WI
4.7
(194 reviews)

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Customer Reviews

RJ R

Buyer beware. The initial consultation was low pressure, pricing was good, and they took time to answer questions. Then during the window installation things took a turn. The project was disappointing and frustrating. Genesis would go from helpful one moment to having to walk on egg shells or they’d threaten to not complete the project. We were threatened multiple times, it was a lot of anxiety. The workmanship was OK, but true craftsmanship is nonexistent. The windows are installed, they don’t leak, trim is installed and is decent if you don’t look too close. If you have a home where the trim quality isn’t great to begin with, you’re probably fine. However, if you have a home in excellent condition or have an eye for detail, the pride in craftsmanship is missing. This is something we went over with Genesis prior to signing to make sure they could match the existing quality of trim. This was not a quick question, multiple specific questions were asked to multiple people on the team, and we were assured of their “high quality craftsmanship”. Below is a list of major quality issues (pictures have been included for some of these). Majority of windows installed are not level. – This was not related to spacing in the opening. When pointing this out to the crew the claim was that it was taking into account operation of the window and it may cause issues long-term or cause the window to not open and close properly if installed level. Apparently builder-grade windows are more forgiving and can be installed level. (no this wasn’t my level being off, verified with 3 different levels). The windows being unlevel resulted in the wood trim also looking askew due to it not being straight compared to ceilings, other trim pieces, etc. This was not on all but some. Genesis would not alter this to make disparities less noticeable. They install one way, their way. Genesis’s favorite answer on any quality issues is that it’s “industry standard”. Which is true, and there seems to be a lack of true craftsmanship with many contractors as speed is prioritized. Industry standard is not the same as their original claim of high quality. Standard quality does not necessarily equal high quality. We had several windows installed with open miters and the gaps were just filled with putty. Genesis at least admitted to these not being OK and was willing to give a credit for some of the issues. I would rather they were done right but due to other issues it was best to not prolong and minimize our losses. They later rescinded part of this credit and couldn't even stick to their word on that. Stain consistency was bad. This was not just related to differences in the wood. This wasn't mild variation; stain ranged from very dark to extremely light and was definitely an issue with inconsistency in the application. We had one window where the jambs and trim were installed too short. The top of the window had hardly any reveal. Again the crew wouldn’t accept any responsibility and tried to blame an obstruction at the bottom of the window as to why they couldn’t make it taller on top. There was zero relation between these items. This was a typical response from the crew; they would immediately get defensive if a question was asked about a potential issue in their work. They seemed more interested in attempting to refute the customer and cover a mistake than listen. On one of the sliding doors, the trim was installed more narrow than the original opening which left the baseboard 1/2” short of the casing. Fixing this is not in Genesis's scope, we learned it’s on the homeowner to fix this. We had damage in drywall and ceilings from materials that were knocked into them, wood putty ground into the carpet, furniture scratched that was not in front of the window, and the paint quality on white trim was terrible. There several other issues, but I'm limited by characters. It’s the volume of issues and how Genesis responded that’s disheartening. Hopefully this can help prevent others from having some of the same issues.

10 months ago
Tom L

Let me start by saying I did a lot of research and had about 5 different window companies to my house. All the major manufactures, a big box store and some of the companies that you see online and on TV. I really felt like I was buying a used car dealing with these companies and their high-pressure tactics. They give you a price in your home try to get you to sign and when you don’t they send you an email 3-4 weeks later and say we can do it for $8,000 to $10,000 less. Or we can give you 0% interest for 60 months but those same windows that we quoted you a month ago will now cost you $2,000 more. We have a three-season porch that had EZ Breeze windows that did not meet our needs nor did the builder offer a double hung window. I was looking for a window that provided quality and an installer that provided excellent service and stood behind there work. I wanted a installer that I could call and they took care of the issue and would handle all warranty issues. After all this I almost gave up until I did some research on SoftLite Windows made in Ohio and contacted Genesis Exteriors. Genesis Exteriors exceeded all those expectations!! Ryan came out and looked at our project gave us his recommendation and said that the price he would give us would be the price we would pay unless labor or materials changed. “Genesis does not play those games of calling you later with a discount”. He invited my wife and I to the showroom to show us the product and answer all our questions. Thanks Ryan! Jim the project manager came out to measure for windows. Took his time to ensure that the windows would fit perfectly and recommended any finishing work that would be needed on the inside and answered all our questions. The windows were a perfect fit and the finished look on the inside and out were fantastic. Thanks Jim! Our installers were Brady and Ray. They were there for 2 days always on time and made sure that our windows and finishing work were done correctly. Thanks to both for doing a GREAT job!! Hope you enjoyed the donuts and coffee! After our job was done and I met with Teresa to make our final payment. She listened to any concerns that I may have had. Thanks Teresa! So overall I am very pleased with the SoftLite windows and Genesis Exteriors. I’d highly recommend them and if I need windows in the future, I will only make 1 call vs 10 calls. Genesis Exteriors gets a 5-star review from us. Thanks!! Tom L

4 months ago
Elizabeth Schluenz

Genesis Exteriors exceeded our expectations across the Board I absolutely love our home, a Tudor-style home built in 1984 on 6 acres of pasture, woods and stream. I call it my Tudor Princess Castle. The castle’s wood siding has been under siege from the elements and nefarious woodpeckers for 40 years. Different owners have patched it in different ways here and there, but the adorable dormers were literally untouched in 40 years. We needed to fully reside the whole thing. We had multiple companies here to give us opinions and estimates on vinyl, LP Smart Side and James Hardie board. We chose LP Smart side, and Genesis stood out from the beginning. Kevin, our salesman, gave us honest opinions on type of siding without once being salesy—no push to schedule more time or foist a contract on us. The Expectation Exceeder: He would not guarantee that woodpeckers would leave the siding along, particularly since I insist on feeding birds, but he said Genesis would always stand behind their job and return to fix it, if they did damage it, at time and materials. While I loved the Tudor style for its uniqueness and tie to our German ancestry, I wanted to modernize, while still remaining in tune with our beautiful natural setting. Kate, our Genesis designer, came out with many samples and supported my vision. The Expectation Exceeder: She made intriguing color suggestions and put up with my tweaks until we nailed it. The experience was great so far, but the part of the project that left us with our mouths hanging open was Jose and his crew of 6 installers. They came out early, music playing, singing and cheerful banter flying and impressed us with their perfectionism and attention to detail. Under the tattered covers of my 40-year-old castle, they had to deal with missing sheeting, damaged insulation and archeological digs of bird, bee and bat nests. In only 4 days they left us with a castle that not even a box elder bug could infiltrate. We took pictures to show the super flashing jobs around windows, doors, dormers, chimney and brick walls. We got comments, “Now, that’s some serious flashing!” The Expectation Exceeders: Jose came to me with a different suggestion for how to frame around our front door. He worked with me on the spot to come up with something perfect. They built flashed boxes for every light, outlet and mechanical thing coming into the house, even redoing one for my Engineer. The lines on the siding boards and the caulking job are laser precise. My princess castle leapt into the 21st century looking brand new! Every member of the Genesis team was a joy to work with. Their experience and desire to build relationships shows. Jim came out to order materials and Scott managed the job site. They obviously are a well-oiled machine. We were left with only a couple boards of siding and trim in each color, and they left us with the remaining touch-up paint colors. The yard was left raked and blown cleaner than they found it. We were left with dopey, delighted smiles on our faces. We highly recommend Genesis Exteriors for your home projects!

a year ago
Carol S

Project: Siding, soffit, facia and gutter replacement and new gutter guards installed on two story home, attached garage and separate two car workshop. Even before this project began I knew I wanted Genesis Exteriors to do the work. I had heard many good things about the company and since this was a big project I wanted it to be completed without any big problems. My family put their trust in my opinion of using Genesis, and we were not disappointed! From my first meeting with salesperson Matt, to the closing of the project with Jose, Scott and Chris my family and I were immensely happy. We were kept informed of every step of the project. When any problems were encountered (rot around chimney plywood), it was handled quickly, efficiently and affordably. I was also made aware of another roof issue that would never had been noticed until the problem was much worse. The crew did an outstanding job with every detail of the project. I was also pleasantly surprised that they tidied up each evening before they left. We have received so many compliments on the final project and we never hesitate to give Genesis Exteriors the credit for a beautiful job well done. A huge THANK YOU to everyone at Genesis who helped to transfer our house, The Pines, into a very wonderful place to call home.

3 years ago
Kate Nagel

It was a pleasure working with Genesis Exteriors! What impressed me the most was the thorough communication. The bid process was accurate and prompt. The estimates on dates were spot on. Whenever I had questions, Ryan and Chris always responded quickly. The work was done so efficiently, the crew seemed like a well-oiled machine. There was one unexpected hiccup in the project but Genesis handled it promptly and professionally. It's clear that they valued my experience as a customer. I absolutely would recommend Genesis Exteriors!

2 years ago